The Canticle of the Creatures or Canticle of Brother Sun is based on a particular way of perceiving reality. Francis, who had turned away from ‘the world’, discovered a different way of looking at it. This is a divine way of perceiving, in which the senses do not grasp reality, but accept it as it communicates itself. This way of perceiving is only possible if one does not attempt to master the environment, but allows one’s senses to be weak. It (...) is significant, therefore, that this song of praise was born at a moment of the utmost despair and weakness. The song’s content is in line with this weak perception: it is not about Francis who praises God and His creatures, but rather it is a testimony that the creatures-the elements-are already praising God, and a prayer that He should let Himself be praised by the creatures. Also in line with this weak perception is the fact that the creatures are praised just as they communicate themselves to Francis: as bodies. The theology of this song is that the creatures through their bodies resonate the blessings that come from God, thereby making His blessing present here on earth. Francis’ role is to give a voice and a language to the heavenly praises as they resound in his environment. The transformative power of this song is that we, whether consciously or not, do the same thing when we participate in this song. (shrink)

As the name of the new elected Pope, Francis, was pronounced from the balcony of the Saint Peter's Cathedral in Rome, there was a short silence on the square… "Francis?" Then a small and modest man appeared on the balcony and just stood there for a while. The moment I was thinking: "O my God, do something!" he said: "fratelli e sorelle, buonasera," and immediately the hearts of the many on the square and in the world opened. By this gesture, (...) Pope Francis changed the face of the Church in seconds. And in the following years he continued to change the Church, not by settling matters straight, but by gestures of the good life: he choose to drive in a small car, to live in a modest apartment among the people, he went... (shrink)

Stories represent lived experiences as they have happened or as they could have happened. According to Paul Ricoeur, the difference between historical and fictional stories is narratively speaking not very significant; all stories follow a plot. The construction of the plot, selects, values, and connects different events – whether factual or fictional – in such a way that they follow a logical line towards a meaningful end. The line of events gathers together the different actors, times, places, figures, and themes (...) in the story. The story-teller and listener follow that line. In that receptive act, however, other stories will resonate with this story, which will add to the meaning of... (shrink)

Today’s crisis in the Western economy has led important economists to rediscover the moral and spiritual sources of their field; I will mention only Tomáš Sedláček, Thomas Piketty, Robert and Edward Skidelsky. The crisis is also an opportunity to look at the economy in a Franciscan perspective. This perspective is, as I will argue, one of perfection, undividedness, and the Franciscan way of seeing things in this perspective is a particular form of poverty. The early Franciscans, beginning with their patron (...) and example St. Francis of Assisi, had discovered this perspective by leaving the world, experiencing poverty, and accepting it – even this poverty – as a divine gift.1 By experiencing and enduring... (shrink)